Messaging app alternatives to WhatsApp

If you want increased privacy, or just don't want anything to do with Facebook, there's a number of apps you can download for free, and message yourself silly, without sending all your private chats to people you don't like.

For most people, they won't be too fussed about what's going on and will already have Facebook accounts where they're sending all manner of information to them.

However, some will not be happy about this.

Hit the links to download each app, if you want away from WhatsApp and their dealings with Facebook.

You can control your privacy with Wickr, and they say that "your personal conversations and data are always protected with our industry-leading multilayered peer-to-peer encryption." They add: "Wickr neither collects nor has access to your data. We do not monetise our users' trust."

Telegram is an app that just continues to grow and grow in popularity, and in their own words, it is a free messaging app that has a "focus on speed and security." And you can "use Telegram on all your devices at the same time", by getting them to "sync seamlessly across any number of your phones, tablets or computers."

Open Whisper Systems have their own secure, and private messaging app called Signal, and even arch whistleblower Edward Snowden gives it the thumbs up, saying: "Use anything by Open Whisper Systems". A little vague, but there you go.

This is an app that is built on Whisper Systems' open source Axolotl protocol, and won't securely operate with anything that isn't another Secure Chat app at the other end. It imports and encrypts existing messaging data too.